Museum of Science and Industry

What I remembered of this place was the big commercial airliner hanging from the ceiling, the coal mine and the submarine. We saw some of that, but we saw some other things. More to explore next time!

On highlight was the assembly line (!). For $5 they each got to watch a top being made, custom etched with their name and the date it was assembled.

They thought it was pretty cool! And this was just a timekiller while we waited to get into the Mirror Maze.

One rule "no running in the mirror maze"

Adhered to?

THUNK!

No.

It is very disorienting...

First Timers...

After a long day at the museum and a lot of walking we were having a hard time finding a place to eat where we would ALL eat. 

Fondue?

Cheese?

Chocolate?

Por su puesto/ of course!

Prepared at the table.

On a ceramic cook top.

Did I mention this is HOT?

Did I mention that each one of us forgot not to touch metal that is sitting on said ceramic cooktop?

Did I tell you Zoe lost her shoe early in the experience?

Dad's beer arrived frozen?

Roman poked his forehead with the skewer?

Yeah, good times were had by all.

By the time we got to meat/ravioli and then the chocolate we were a bit of a mess. So the documentation stops here :)

The Big City

The saga continues...

Day one of balloon creation at Aurelio's with Grandpa!

By day 4 it has morphed into this bean. Roman carried it with him all day. Well, it was in his jacket pocket, but STILL.

We decided to walk back from the Field Museum.

Which seemed like a grand idea.(Empty Buckingham Fountain....C'mon, sing it with me "love and marriage, love and marriage...")

...considering what we found

playground!

Maggie Daley park - whoah!

Oodles of energy is found...

...and released...

Too bad it wasn't a little warmer (but than again it might be a little more crowded if it was)

Onward.

Another "Bean" (officially Cloudgate)

Continuing on our way back.

There we are!

Day two, Chicago - Field Museum

Field Museum (a walk + El train + a walk!)

I could have sworn that the Norwegian way to pronounce Vikings was with a "W" sound rather than an English 'V'. Google isn't helping prove this.  It doesn't sound very viking-y when its wi-king. We didn't actually go to that exhibit...but whattaya gonna do? As Mike said "the banner is where the entrance is" Life lesson number 263 I guess.

We did see one of it's more famous inhabitants - Sue! So named for the archeologist that found her in South Dakota. And as captured in the above photo, someone had to stay close to Dad to get that close to Sue.

Zoe's a loon lover.

Good thing we live in Minnesota.

Owls! Mr. Science loves owls 

(and owl pellet investigation, if you remember from earlier this school year)

Last time we were this close to a peacock we were at the Brookfield Zoo 

(and it was proclaiming its glory)

"I wish my middle name was Zebra," said Zoe.

She did, she really said that.

One of the things we learned this year: An Emperor Penguin can be as big as a kindergartner. And based on their response, seeing wasn't believing ;)

Based on a quick google search to make sure I had the right type of penguin they can be bigger than your typical kindergartner.

So much to see and inspect!

No, she can't make a pyramid, even with some help. 

"Yeah! Mummies!"....."No! I don't want to see mummies!"

Can I tell you Zoe wasn't very excited or even mildly okay with being in the Mummy area of the museum? Freaks her out. And honestly it is a rather odd thing to peer at the wrapped up remains of someone under glass in a museum. But it's fascinating still.

 

Standing in the footprint of a dinosaur. Not TOGETHER, mind you...

Eat at Ed's

Ed Debevic's.

50's theme dinner in Chicago.

Paper hats complimentary!

And servers dancing on the counter compulsory.

"worlds smallest sunday" 

Nummy!

Mom and Dad shared their own massive brownie and ice cream (and Zoe snuck a few bites after finishing her dessert!).